Pastors As Teachers

Calvin commenting on 1 Timothy 3:15 in his commentary on the Pastoral Epistles wrote, "The reason why the church is called the pillar of truth is, that, she defends and spread it by her agency. ... the office of administering doctrine, which God hath placed in her hands, is the only instrument of preserving the truth, that it may not perish from the remembrance of men." Doctrine needs particular attention in the church and teaching is the means by which the truth of God's Word is to be propagated and preserved in this age and in the church.

The church must not relinquish her "office of administering doctrine" nor loose her place as the pillar and ground of truth in this world. As the pillar of truth she must stand for and proclaim the truth of the Word of God, she must teach and affirm it constantly, and she must defend it tirelessly.

Inroads have been made to weaken the church through the areas that the church members are ignorant of what the Word of God teaches. Where the church has not taught, and in areas of doctrines that have been negligent in, the enemy has found open doors. This has been a burden, and is part of why this work has been pursued. Bible teaching was the main stay of church life in the New Testament. May it be so today!